New Edinburgh Waverley platforms enter service

01st March 2019

Platform 5 and 6 at Edinburgh Waverley station have now officially entered service. The two platforms have been extended to 275m and will be able to accomodate the new Intercity Express trains that are due to be introduced to the East Coast route later this year.

During the project, around 16,000 tons of material was removed to create the platforms, with 7,000 tons of ballast and new track laid as well as new signalling and overhead powerlines installed. This new infrastructure will help transform travel on the East Coast route and was funded by the Department for Transport’s Intercity Express Programme (IEP) and the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP).

The platform extensions were just the latest in a line of upgrades to transform Scotland's second busiest station following the project in 2017 that extended platform 12 to accomodate ScotRail’s new Class-385 trains.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson said:

“The completion of this important work at Waverley station will enable further platform capacity for Edinburgh to Glasgow services and deliver faster, longer, greener trains between Edinburgh and London.

“This is a prime example of Scottish Government investment helping to improve our rail network and shows the benefits that can be realised through cross-border working with partners in the UK rail industry.”

UK Rail Minister Andrew Jones said:

“These works alongside the Intercity Express Programme with its state-of-the-art high-speed intercity trains, will start to transform journeys for passengers bringing more space, comfort and reliability up and down the country.

“Having worked closely with Transport Scotland to deliver this upgrade, the longer platforms will deliver the benefits for the new Azuma trains – due on the East Coast later this year.”

Kevin McClelland, route delivery director for infrastructure projects, said:

“Successfully delivering this work has been a logistical challenge for our engineers and contractors who have constructed the new infrastructure in Scotland’s second-busiest station with a minimum of disruption to the tens of thousands of customers who use Waverley every day.

“The new platforms, and the modern trains they have been designed to accommodate, will greatly improve the service we can offer to passengers travelling on this key route between the two capitals.”

Author: Darren Porter
Image: Network Rail